


Home

by GalekhXigisi



Series: Trans Steve Harrington (and other Stranger Things lgbt themes) [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Coming Out, Good Parent Joyce Byers, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Period-Typical Homophobia, Supportive Joyce Byers, Trans Male Character, Trans Steve Harrington, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-23 19:28:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20345467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalekhXigisi/pseuds/GalekhXigisi
Summary: Steve and Robin take refuge at the Byers' home. Joyce becomes a tiny bit suspicious.





	Home

Joyce was beyond just  _ tired. _ Her bones ached from days of moving back and her back felt like a ton of bricks weighed it down after so many stretched positions from painting Els’ room. The girl was currently in the living room, camping out with Max and Will. Max was happy to have the Hopper-Byers family back in town while Will and El were both glad to have the company. The siblings had grown to dislike being alone, their rooms together with bunk beds, thought El was often found asleep on the bottom bunk with Will. It reminded Joyce of Jim when he would update her on things like  _ El fell asleep on the couch for the first time _ or _ shes finally sleeping in her own room, but she keeps the door open still. _

The doorbell rings through the home, making all of them stiffen. Joyce, who had been sitting on the couch, frowned, Jonathans’ head popped out from behind the corner of the wall, He frowns at the four startled occupants, softly asking, “Who would come by at eleven at night?” 

Joyce shrugs, standing up from her spot. “Be quiet,” she softly says, moving towards the door in a few quick strides, one hand placed on the crowbar they kept at the door for situations like this. Her fingers lace around it as she hesitantly opens the door. 

Joyce expected a lot of different things. She expected something like the Mind Flayer. She expected rabid nazis. She expected a million different things, but a bloodied up Steve Harrington was not one of them. Her grip around the crowbar instantly falls, warily looking at the others’ busted lip and black eye. Beside him stands a girl, one she recognizes as Robin, his friend from school and work, the closest of best friends. She didn’t look as beat up, but her cheek was bright red with a large handprint there. 

“Oh my gosh,” she yelps, jumping into action. “Are you two alright? What even happened?” She moves out of the way, motioning them forward. 

Steve had a look on his face like he had seen the genuine end of times. It was grief stricken and absolutely the worst thing Joyce had seen in ages. Robin, though, looked calm. She smiles softly as the two walk into the home. She softly whispers to Joyce and Joyce alone, “I had a fight with my parents and went to Steve. Steve had a fight with his parents. It was either going to you, the Wheelers, Dustins’, or camping out in his car for tonight.” 

Joyce doesn’t understand the context. She doesn’t ask for it either. A fight with Steves’  _ father _ resulted in that devoid look he was currently sporting. She suspects that it was far more than  _ just a fight, _ especially given that she knew the oldest Harrington only threw punches when he was  _ incredibly _ angry. She gives a nod to the two. “Alright. Uh, I could probably pull out the futon for you two? I only have one but-” 

“Thank you, Miss Byers,” Steve mumbles, the words muted through the busted lip. “It’ll do.” 

Joyce nods, ignoring how bad it makes her feel to hear  _ Miss Byers _ instead of  _ Joyce _ or  _ Byers boys’ mom _ or any  _ other _ name. I’ll get you both some ice.” She turns to Jonathan, the taller looking rather concerned for the two. “Get Steve washed up, okay?” Jonathan nods without any hesitance, agreeing with her words as he moves to Steve. 

“Come on, Steve. Lets get you cleaned up.” 

Steve nods, walking behind Jonathan. He had been in the Byers’ house a few times before. He’d dropped off the children sometimes. Other times, he would simply be there to check on Joyce or Jonathan or the children. He had been in there before they moved. When the Demagorgan was there and messing everything up. He knows the layout even if it had been a rather long while. 

\---

Joyce doesn’t pry until morning. She sits with a cup of coffee in hand, thankful her shift doesn’t start until noon, nor do Steve or Robins’ own. Jonathan was visiting Nancy while the three children had went over to Dustins’ for one of their many party meetings. Steve, thankfully, looked much better than he had the night before, though he was tired. Robin looked like this weren’t the first time something like this had happened, just as chipper as she always was. She smiled and said good morning, sitting happily at the table while Steve yawned and chirped back his own quips at her words. 

She softly takes up, “I know it’s none of my business, but… Why did you two fight with your parents?” 

Both of them tense up, smiles gone and replaced with nerves. Robin runs her eyes up and down Joyce, as if wondering again and again if she trusts Joyce enough to tell her. 

Steve, though, heaves out a sigh and leans against the table, seemingly deciding himself that he doesn’t mind telling her about himself. He does finally decide to do so. “After Robin came over, my dad started asking what we were doing when we were sitting in my room. I guess he thought we were up to something and he just… went off about it.” He frowns, sighing as he gathers his head in his hands. “That sounds so stupid without context. I don’t…” 

Joyces’ brows furrow. “You don’t have to tell me anything else you don’t want to, Steve. It’s okay.” 

“Well, this is going to start weird and end weird.” He sighs again. “I’m just…  _ Technically, _ I’m a guy, right? But  _ physically, _ by  _ biological _ and  _ birth certificate _ terms, I am… Female.” 

Joyce frowns, confused as can be. “I don’t really… Understand, Steve.” 

Robin nods softly. “He’s like us, but he’s a man.” 

Joyce doesn’t understand why that suddenly makes sense to her. She really doesn’t, but it  _ does _ make sense and she understands it, nodding. She can’t remember the technical term for it, bt she had heard things on the radio and silently taken note of the way Will had perked up about some of the riots that went on. She hadn’t commented but she had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the way he had selectively not dated and had taken much more interest in boys than girls. 

“Okay.” She nods, slow and accepting. “That’s okay. Whatever makes you happy, Steve.” 

Steve and Robin both light up at that. Robin,  _ finally, _ decides that it’s okay to supply why she had had a fight with her mother. “I brought home some pictures of me and my girlfriend… My mom saw them and we were yelling at each other until she…  _ yeah. _ So, I went to Steves’.” 

“You’re both welcome here any time,” Joyce supplies to both of them. “I can’t offer much, but I can at least offer a place to stay until things cool over and moral comfort.” 

**Author's Note:**

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